Macau
Macau
is located in the southeast of China, to be more precisely, on
the western bank of the Pearl River Delta. It lies 38 nautical
miles (70 kilometers) from Hong Kong and some 145 kilometers from
Guangzhou.
With
a population of about 450,000 inhabitants, approximately 70% are
Chinese nationals and 28% are Portuguese passport holders. The
official languages are Portuguese and Chinese, but English is
widely used in business and tourism.
The
weather in Macau is normally hot, with an annual average temperature
of 20 degrees centigrade. With values ranging from 73% to 90%,
humidity is rather high during most of the year.
Autumn
(October to December) is the finest season of the year, with sunny
days, mild temperature and low humidity. Winter (January to March)
is cold, but one can expect to have some periods of clear skies
as well. Humidity and heat start to increase in April, and this
situation will last until September. It is precisely during this
period that heavy rains and an occasional tropical storm are most
likely to occur.
The
great ruined facade and staircase of the Church of the Mother of
God, now popularly known as the Cathedral of Sao Paulo, or St. Paul's,
is probable the most famous of Macau's sights. The cathedral is
thought to have been designed by an Italian Jesuit in the early
seventeenth century and built with the assistance of Japanese Christian
artisans. In 1835, it burned to the ground during a typhoon, leaving
only the magnificent facade and impressive staircase to testify
to its former glory. 
This
Fortress, which is situated almost at the heart of Macau, was built
by the Jesuits at about the same time as the Cathedral of Sao Paulo.
Monte Fort's moment of glory came during an attempted Dutch invasion
in 1622 when a cannonball from the fort's guns landed in the invader's
powder Keg, creating total confusion. Today, the fort houses a small
observatory museum, and offers visitors a splendid vantage point
from which to view Macau and the surrounding areas of China's Zhongshan
District. 
